I saw the newest features of Lion today and it does seem like an upgrade that I would like. Unfortunately for me I can't have it. Already Snow Leopard utilizes the newest track pad with gestures. Lion adds even more. My Apple computer is a 2008 OS X 10.5.8 Mac Book that doesn't have the better track pad like the aluminum Mac Books do since 2009.

In a way I'm glad about my situation. At least Ive got a functioning computer that doesn't have software problems. I'm also glad about my battery being removable because I'm on my second defective Apple battery. Were this inside the aluminum version the machine would need to be disassembled in order to get to it. The back panel of the aluminum model would be bulging out thus requiring a full replacement.

Do these new features make you want to upgrade your machine from Tiger or Leopard?

To me, the way Lion is going to be sold is the worst iDea I have ever heard of.

If you want to do a clean install, you have to install 10.6.x.
Then update to get to the App Store.
Then buy the four gig 'update.' Whether this 'update' is keyed to your store account remains to be seen.
If you are using Server, you have to do the above, then you get to purchase and download the Server update!

What rocket surgeon came up with this?

I feel for people that are on dial up, slow, or poor internet connections!

I too realized that I would need to purchase Snow Leopard first and then get Lion.

The feature that makes me want to get Lion is the iCloud integration with the iLife suite of programs.

The more time I spend watching Apple present its computer products the more I feel the Mac line is more geared for entertainment than anything else. I've never seen a presentation that demonstrated some advanced engineering software being utilized or an advanced graphics program.

The iWork suite really doesn't need to be upgraded at all. Once one can do good formatting with a large selection of fonts that's about all that is needed. Moving photos around in Keynote and adding video clips is really cool but really how much more is needed in that one. I don't use Numbers but some people claim it isn't as good as Excel. Maybe it needs some improvement.

Still, all of those programs could run on ten year old machines and still do great work. Are computers getting faster processors mainly because people need them to watch streaming videos with better quality via the internet?

Voice recognition and control will require intense programming and processing. When it arrives we'll be able to browse the web and watch movies with voice control instead of using a Magic Trackpad. Voice dictation already is here. It shouldn't be too long before voice commands arrive, right?

So does this mean if you have four Apple computers you have to download 4gb Lion 4 times?

Unless I'm missing something here, I think you are going to be able to burn the file to a DVD and install from that. So you could install it on the rest of your computers from the DVD. Maybe I'm wrong._________________Mac Mini 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM 500GB HD
Macbook Pro 13 inch late October 2009 4GB Ram 160GB HD
iPhone 5 16GB
iPad Air 1

To me, the way Lion is going to be sold is the worst iDea I have ever heard of.

If you want to do a clean install, you have to install 10.6.x.
Then update to get to the App Store.
Then buy the four gig 'update.' Whether this 'update' is keyed to your store account remains to be seen.

You can put it on a DVD. It's just a .dmg file. Before Installing Asks you what drive you want to install it on. Then it Restarts the Mac & Installs. It's actually simpler than a DVD. And You can do a clean install. As far as the updates go, I'm not sure, but I don't think Apple will charge additionally for Updates. If they did that with all their apps, no one would buy them in the 1st place._________________iMac 27" 3.06 8GB ATI 4670 1TB HD
Mac Mini 1.83 Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB 80 GB
Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz i5 8 GB Ram 500 GB HD
Power Mac G5 1.8 GHz
Apple TV 3rd Gen
Time Capsule 1st Gen 2TB

But will it run on a Core Duo proccesor? I suppose I could just run it on my Macbook Pro, but then I'm running three diffrent versions OS X._________________Mac Mini 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM 500GB HD
Macbook Pro 13 inch late October 2009 4GB Ram 160GB HD
iPhone 5 16GB
iPad Air 1